The present invention is directed to the technology of altering the appearance and texture of people's hair, including such commonly practiced processes as coloring, lighting, frosting, straightening, and waving hair. These techniques are used to change the color and general appearance of a person's hair. In particular, frosting and highlighting treatments involve the coloring of selected strands of hair on the subject's scalp, while leaving other strands their natural color, or another color. Such selective coloring techniques are by nature time consuming and expensive.
The application of highlighting color solutions has always been a challenge, especially when these same liquid solutions must be applied precisely and prevented from contacting surrounding hair. It has become an art manipulating these solutions in order to get natural and precise variegated results. A number of different methods have been used by cosmetologists and hair professionals to accomplish such treatments in the prior art. One of the most common methods involves the use of what is referred to as a “foil.” The hair is typically parted along a selected part line and laid down to either side of the part line. Using other hand tools and appliances, selected strands of hair along the part line are manually pulled out in a technique called “weaving.” A paper or foil, typically a small rectangular sheet of chemical-impervious material, is laid on the underside of the part line with one edge aligned with the part line, substantially covering the hair on that side of the part line.
The selected strands of hair are laid down on the foil such that the foil provides a chemical and/or fluid barrier between the selected strands and the underlying hair and scalp. Coloring chemicals are then carefully applied to the selected strands, using a brush, foam, or sponge. The trailing half of the foil is then folded over towards the leading edge and tends to be held there by the adhesive quality of the chemical so as to sandwich the selected strands within the folded foil, permitting the color chemical agent to be absorbed by the hair strands for maximum affect. The foil may be folded yet again and secured in the double folded position to gain a better grip on the entrapped strands of hair. The position of the foil is dependent on the folded foil's grip on the selected strands of hair.
The process is repeated with a new part line and a new foil for each area of the scalp and hair intended to be treated. Eventually, dozens or more separate foils may cover the subject's head, and these are left in place for a time while the coloring agents do their work. Finally, the foils are removed and disposed of.
The foil method is inexpensive as far as the cost of the foil materials are concerned, but it is extremely time consuming, thereby limiting the number of clients a stylist or hair professional can serve, which results in a high cost to each client. The foils are typically made of a coated metal foil material, which is why they are called “foils,” but may be just paper or coated paper. They may be cut to the desired size for each area of the subject's head to be treated. More importantly, the hair stylist must use one hand to hold the selected strands of hair and the other hand to pick and place the foil. After the strands are selected and laid in place on the foil, the stylist, still holding the foil in one hand, applies the coloring agent with the other hand to the strands.
The process is awkward, requires concentration, is tiring with repetition. The technique requires the stylist to keep all the materials required within easy reach. Only after the foil has been folded and refolded and is apparently being held by the stickiness of the applied chemicals, can the stylist's hands be released to begin the next foil. The folded foil's position on the scalp is then maintained by its multiple fold grip on the selected strands near their respective root ends at the part line at the leading edge of the foil.
Even when the stylist is practiced and careful, the foil may move about on the scalp during the application of the coloring agent, resulting in delay, difficulty in selecting the desired strands, the coloring of other, undesired portions of hair, excess exposure of the scalp to the chemicals, or longer than necessary root ends that are not enclosed by the folded foil and not effectively colored. In addition, there exists the danger of seepage of the coloring agent from the folded foil, causing similar problems.
Furthermore, because of the overall time and complexity involved in this process, the stylist often has difficulty in managing the details of the process; in maintaining each consecutively placed foil with its coloring agents for the desired uniform time interval in order to maintain a consistent coloring effect for the client. There remain further persistent problems of the process chemicals reacting with the metallic or other substances in the foil, and of coloring too much or too little of the hair, due, in part, to the timing problems relating to individual foils and the varying effects on the hair color.
Other methods of administering chemical hair treatments have been used in order to attempt to circumvent the problems of the foil method. These include covering the subject's hair with a cap having a number of holes formed within, and pulling strands of hair through the holes using a hook or other suitable device. A coloring agent can then be applied to the strands extending through the cap. However, this method has a number of problems associated, not the least of which is that it is painful for many subjects.
There are a myriad of other common tools and devices for use with hair management. One example of a common tool for hair retention and for retaining other objects such as hats to the hair and head is the common “bobby pin,” a simple wire spring clip with a small V throat and small knobby wire ends for pushing into the hair. Other hair and head ornaments such as barrettes and hair bands, unrelated to the instant technology, are known to have smooth teeth to aid in retaining lateral placement in the hair. However, these devices all, inevitably, rely on an additional component of retention to prevent simple lifting of the device out of the hair. For example, consider the length and over curvature of a flexible hair band which is sprung open for placement and relies on its spring-like squeezing of the device around the wearer's skull; or the barrette, which incorporates an underside hairclip to gather and squeeze a large bundle of hair against the bottom of the barrette.
There are a variety of other tools for styling and separating hair, such as combs and brushes. Combs and brushes come in various sizes, shapes and colors. Types of combs include the rat-tail comb, wide tooth comb, and picks. The “tail” of the rat-tail comb is used for lifting and separating the hair. The teeth part of this comb should not be used unless you've straightened your hair. The wide tooth comb is used to detangle hair. The pick is used to pick your hair out for an afro or after a perm. Types of brushes include the bristle brush, paddle brush, Denman brush, and vent brush. The bristle brush is used to smooth back the hair for neat looking puffs, buns and ponytails. It is best used on wet hair. The bristles are very soft and will not damage the hair. The wood handle reduces levels of static electricity. The paddle brush is used to straighten hair. First, the hair is detangled using a wide tooth comb. As the hair dries, detangling and combing with the wide tooth comb continues, until the hairs becomes semi-straight. Then the semi-dry hair is brushed in sections with the paddle brush. There are various types of Denman brushes, which are used for styling and volumizing hair. The bristles are very flexible and do not have balls on the end. Vent brushes have wide set bristles and holes in the base of the brush and are mostly used for blow drying. The openings allow air from the dryer to circulate.
Clearly, there is room in the art and technology of chemical hair treatment for improvements in the associated systems, methods and appliances.